Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080240756 | Exposure Head Controller, Exposure Head and Image Formation Device - Provided is an exposure head controller that controls, via pulse width modulation control, the emission quantity of each light emitting element in an exposure head having a light emitting element array formed by arranging a plurality of light emitting elements in a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction orthogonal thereto, comprising: a data retention unit that retains dot gathering control data showing whether to emit each light emitting element at the starting point side, terminal point side or in the middle of an emission period corresponding to a 1 pixel pitch in the sub scanning direction, or to divide and emit each light emitting element at the starting point side and terminal point side, emission time data showing the emission time of each light emitting element, and skew data showing the skew quantity of each light emitting element; a dot gathering operation circuit provided to each light emitting element and which operates the time in which the light emitting element is to be retained in a non-emission state from the starting point of the emission based on the dot gathering control data input from the data retention unit; a delay time measurement circuit that acquires the skew data from the data retention unit and acquires the non-emission time data showing the retention time in the non-emission state from the dot gathering operation circuit, adding these to seek the delay time to be set before starting the emission of the light emitting element, measuring the delay time, and outputting a prescribed signal after the lapse of the delay time; and an emission instruction circuit that outputs to a light emitting element drive circuit an emission instruction signal for instructing the emission of the light emitting element from the point in time the emission time data is acquired from the data retention unit and a prescribed signal is output from the delay time measurement circuit up to the elapse of the emission time indicated by the emission time data. | 10-02-2008 |
20080285991 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An electrostatic latent image is formed by exposing the same exposure point on a photosensitive drum to a laser beam having an emission wavelength of 420 nm and a laser beam having an emission wavelength of 780 nm. The exposure is performed in a pulse-height modulation manner by changing a total output of these two laser beams to write the electrostatic latent image while changing an output ratio between the two laser beams depending on the total output. | 11-20-2008 |
20080285992 | Image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor member; a LED head that includes a plurality of light emitting diodes arrayed in a line along a rotating axial direction of said photoreceptor member and that is modulated in response to image signals, so as to expose said photoreceptor member while said photoreceptor member is rotating; a deviation detecting sensor to detect deviations on a circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a filter to extract low frequency components including a rotational frequency component of said photoreceptor member from deviation signals detected by said deviation detecting sensor, so as to acquire deviation information with respect to said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; a driving section to move said LED head back and forth against said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member; and a position controlling section to control said driving section, based on said deviation information acquired by said filter, so as to keep a distance between said LED head and said circumferential surface of said photoreceptor member constant. | 11-20-2008 |
20080292341 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a charging apparatus arranged to charge the photosensitive drum, and a developing apparatus arranged to supply toner to an electrostatic latent image in a development region, thereby developing the electrostatic latent image to a toner image. The image forming apparatus further includes a laser unit, an LED array unit which is located downstream of the laser unit in a moving direction of the photosensitive drum and is disposed inside the photosensitive drum to be able to perform exposure within the development region, and a control unit configured to control the laser unit and the LED array unit such that the LED array unit is able to expose the same area on the photosensitive drum which has been exposed by the laser unit. | 11-27-2008 |
20080292342 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING IMAGE - In an image forming apparatus, a separating unit separates each laser beam into a first laser beam used for measuring light intensity and a second laser beam used for scanning a photosensitive element, a photoelectric converting unit measures a light intensity of each of the first laser beams and outputs a voltage indicative of the light intensity. A control unit controls a light intensity of each of the laser beams based on a common drive current and a corresponding one of a current correction value, which is set by each of the laser beams to correct a light intensity of a corresponding one of the laser beams based on a corresponding one of the voltages output by the photoelectric converting unit. | 11-27-2008 |
20080292343 | Image forming apparatus - In an early-middle stage of a photosensitive drum life cycle, an image forming apparatus uses only a second semiconductor laser having an oscillation wavelength 660 nm to perform writing of an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum surface. In a middle-late stage of the photosensitive drum life cycle, the image forming apparatus starts using a first semiconductor laser having an oscillation wavelength of 440 nm in addition to the second semiconductor laser to perform writing of an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum surface with a combined exposure spot formed at the same position. An exposure control unit gradually increases an output rate of the first semiconductor laser according to an increase in total output of the first and second semiconductor lasers. | 11-27-2008 |
20080292344 | Drive circuit, light emitting diode head, and image forming apparatus - A drive circuit includes a drive element for driving a driven element; a correction data input section for adjusting a drive current of the driven element; a resistor having an end portion connected to ground; and a control voltage generation section for generating a direction value of the drive current. The control voltage generation section includes a calculation amplifier having a first input terminal for receiving a standard voltage, a second input terminal, and an output terminal; a first conductive type transistor having a first terminal, a second terminal connected to the ground, and a control terminal connected to the output terminal; and a current-mirror circuit including a control side transistor and a follower side transistor. The control side transistor has a current output terminal connected to the first terminal. The follower side transistor has a current output terminal connected to another end portion of the resistor and the second input terminal. | 11-27-2008 |
20080304844 | LIGHT SCANNING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE SAME - A light scanning unit of an image forming apparatus, the light scanning unit including: a base frame comprising a metal material to prevent the base frame from expanding and/or contracting due to an ambient temperature change; one or more mounting members provided in the base frame; and one or more optical elements mounted on the base frame by the one or more mounting members, the one or more optical elements generating and/or scanning a light beam. | 12-11-2008 |
20080304845 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL PROGRAM OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus for simultaneously conducting multiple lines of exposure by scanning multiple laser beams from multiple light sources onto an image carrier in a main scanning direction, including: multiple light sources which are driven to emit laser beams based on image data; and a control section capable of controlling an image formation in two types of image forming modes of a first image forming mode where an image is formed at a first image forming speed by using all the multiple light sources, and a second image forming mode where the image is formed without using at least one of the multiple light sources at a second image forming speed slower than the first image forming speed, | 12-11-2008 |
20080310869 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRINTING REIMAGEABLE TRANSIENT DOCUMENTS - A system and a method print one or more images to one or more reimageable documents, wherein the one or more representative of at least a portion of a digital file. The method includes a connecting a portable printer to a computing device. Moreover, the method includes emitting ultraviolet light from a light source, wherein an imaging layer of the reimageable document is imageable by ultraviolet light, wherein ultraviolet light forms a color contrast on the imaging layer that defines an image representative of at least a portion of the digital file. | 12-18-2008 |
20090003861 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus includes a light beam output unit configured to output a light beam, a deflection unit for deflection scanning in a main scanning direction of a photosensitive member by reflecting the light beam from the light beam output unit, a timing information detection unit configured to detect timing information of the deflection scanning by the deflection unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate a correction amount of the main scanning direction for a next scan based on the timing information, a light beam modulation control unit configured to generate a light beam modulation signal based on image data and the correction amount, and a drive unit configured to drive the light beam output unit based on the light beam modulation signal. | 01-01-2009 |
20090003862 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD - For suppressing color density unevenness due to a polygonal face tangle, laser luminance is controlled so as to maintain the color density unevenness with a spatial frequency sensitive to human visibility substantially constant. | 01-01-2009 |
20090010665 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a charging device, an image bearing member, an electrostatic image forming device, a development device including a developer bearing member, a transfer device, and a controller. The controller controls a potential of the image bearing member such that, during image formation to form an image on a recording material having a predetermined size, an absolute potential value (V | 01-08-2009 |
20090016753 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR - An image forming apparatus which improves the degree of freedom for changing the shape, diameter, light intensity distribution of the section of a laser beam. Emission of the plurality of lasers provided in a light source unit is separately controlled based on image data of one pixel. The laser lights emitted from the plurality of lasers are focused and a laser beam is formed. Exposure scanning of a photosensitive body is performed by the laser beam. A light emission pattern of the plurality of lasers is changed according to image data of each pixel. | 01-15-2009 |
20090034999 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus of the invention includes: a laser beam source; a laser beam source control unit configured to control the laser beam source based on image data; a plurality of photoconductive members respectively corresponding to a plurality of colors; a single piece of polygon mirror whose reflection surfaces are disposed in a rotation direction thereof with a plurality of different inclination angles respectively corresponding to the plurality of colors, scans the photoconductive members sequentially for each of the colors in a main scanning direction; a beam detector that is disposed adjacent to the photoconductive member on an upstream side of the photoconductive member in the main scanning direction; and an adjustment data control unit configured to change, in synchronization with a detection signal coming from the beam detector, color-based adjustment data for adjusting variations of an image quality parameter resulted from the optical paths and the photoconductive members varying with the colors. | 02-05-2009 |
20090035000 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME, AND PROGRAM - Disclosed herein is an image forming apparatus that emits a beam corresponding to an image onto an image-projected object to allow the image to be formed thereon. The apparatus includes: a lamp; a lamp power supply; a lens; a brightness sensor that measures a lamp brightness; a memory that stores, as a reference brightness value, the lamp brightness measured at a first time when brightness of the beam on the image-projected object has reached a target value; and a control circuit. At a second time, the control circuit performs first control of generating or updating and storing correspondence information. At a third time, the control circuit performs second control of identifying a level of an output power of the lamp power supply corresponding to the reference brightness value, and driving the lamp power supply with the identified level of the output power. | 02-05-2009 |
20090035001 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND APPARATUS FOR CORRECTING DIFFERENCE IN OSCILLATION SPEED AMONG OSCILLATING DEVICES - An image forming apparatus includes a device-information storage unit configured to store a scanning frequency of an oscillating device; an image storage unit configured to store image data used for image formation; an image processing unit configured to perform an enlargement or reduction, in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the scanning of the laser beam and in accordance with a given parameter, on the image data stored in the image storage unit; a setting unit configured to calculate the parameter from the scanning frequency stored in the device-information storage unit and a predetermined reference frequency and configured to provide the parameter to the image processing unit; and a driving unit configured to drive a laser beam device according to the image data processed by the image processing unit. | 02-05-2009 |
20090041488 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus includes a light emitting unit that emits light based on image data, an image forming unit that forms an image by scanning the light emitted from the light emitting unit, a sensing unit that senses a light quantity of the light emitted from the light emitting unit, and a controller that adjusts the image data to make the sensed light quantity reach a predetermined target light quantity and applies the adjusted image data to the light emitting unit. | 02-12-2009 |
20090041489 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND CONTROL METHOD AND CONTROL PROGRAM THEREOF - An image forming apparatus has an image carrier carrying an electrostatic latent image, a charging unit charging the surface of the image carrier, an exposure unit forming an electrostatic latent image by irradiating light onto the charged surface of the image carrier, a developing unit developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the image carrier using a developing material, and a transfer unit transferring a developer image onto a printing material. The apparatus has also an image correction unit correcting image data inputted to the exposure unit so as to compensate for deformation in the developer image originating in a form of the exposure unit, and a smoothing processing unit carrying out smoothing of an image by controlling the exposure unit so that dots of a size smaller than one pixel are filled with respect to a white image region of the corrected image data. | 02-12-2009 |
20090052916 | Apparatus for and Method of Forming Image Using Oscillation Mirror - As a scanning light beam which is scanning and traveling away from an effective image region moves passed the location of a sensor, a horizontal synchronizing signal Hsync is obtained as a first detection signal. A deflection mirror surface turns around, thereby reversing the direction in which the scanning light beam scans. This scanning light beam therefore scans an effective image region IR, and a latent image forming operation using this scanning light beam is controlled based on the horizontal synchronizing signal Hsync. Hence, there is a relatively long period of time (T | 02-26-2009 |
20090060544 | Image Forming Apparatus, an Image Forming Method and an Image Detecting Method - An image forming apparatus, includes: an exposure head that includes a first imaging optical system, a second imaging optical system, a first light emitting element which emits light to be focused by the first imaging optical system, and a second light emitting element which emits light to be focused by the second imaging optical system, the first imaging optical system and the second imaging optical system being arranged in a first direction; a latent image carrier that moves in a second direction orthogonal to or substantially orthogonal to the first direction and carries a latent image which is formed by the exposure head; a developing unit that develops the latent image formed by the exposure head; and a detector that detects an image developed by the developing unit, wherein a first latent image that is focused by the first imaging optical system and a second latent image that is focused by the second imaging optical system are connected. | 03-05-2009 |
20090060545 | EXPOSING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An exposing device which radiates light on a photoconductor drum which rotates, thereby executing exposure, includes a light-emitting element unit including light-emitting element having an emission area which emits light that is generated, the emission area having a rectangular shape with a long side along a direction perpendicular to a rotational direction of the photoconductor drum, and a short side along the rotational direction, a lens unit which focuses the light, which is emitted from the emission area, on a peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum, thereby executing exposure, and forming on the peripheral surface a beam spot, and a driving circuit which causes the light-emitting element to emit light, thereby making a width of the shape of the beam spot in a direction along the rotational direction close to a width of the beam spot in a direction perpendicular to the rotational direction. | 03-05-2009 |
20090067861 | SHEET TRANSPORT APPARATUS, DOCUMENT READING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - One embodiment of a sheet transport apparatus is provided with a sheet transport path for transporting a sheet in a predetermined transport direction, a reflective type optical sensor in which light irradiated from a light-emitting portion to a transported sheet is reflected and reflected light from the sheet is received by a light-receiving portion to detect a presence/absence of the sheet, an irradiated light adjustment portion that adjusts a light amount of the light-emitting portion, a non-image region locating portion that detects an image state on a sheet to locate a non-image region of the sheet, and a control portion that adjusts the light amount of the light-emitting portion by controlling the irradiated light adjustment portion based on a measured value on the non-image region located by the non-image region locating portion. | 03-12-2009 |
20090067862 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND SHUTTER CONTROL METHOD - According to an aspect of the invention, a control method for an exposure shutter of an image forming apparatus includes, opening the shutter only to a slit glass for monochrome when monochrome printing is performed, and opening the shutter to slit glasses for monochrome and color when color printing is performed. | 03-12-2009 |
20090074437 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND WRITE METHOD - An optical scanning device acquires a displacement amount of each of scanning light beams in the main scanning direction, and corrects, based on the displacement amount, writing energy density at a write position such that a variation in image density due to a variation of the displacement amount is reduced. The light beams are used for scanning a target surface to write image data on the target surface. The writing energy density is an amount of light per unit surface area of the target surface. | 03-19-2009 |
20090074438 | Image Forming Apparatus, An Image Forming Method and An Image Detecting Method - An image forming apparatus, includes: a latent image carrier that moves in a first direction; an exposure head that includes a light emitting element and an imaging optical system row which is arranged in the first direction and which is made up of imaging optical systems which are arranged in a second direction different from the first direction and image light emitted from the light emitting element on the latent image carrier; a developing unit that develops a latent image formed on the latent image carrier by the exposure head; and two detectors that detect an image obtained by developing a latent image by the developing unit, the latent image being formed using the same imaging optical system row. | 03-19-2009 |
20090110421 | Photographic Plotting Process and Arrangement for Tracing a Computer-stored Grid Image on a Flat Photosensitive Carrier - The grid image T (overall image) is traced in dots by a computer program as a sequence of image sections (R | 04-30-2009 |
20090142084 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to bear an image, an exposure unit configured to draw a scanning line on the image bearing member by exposing the image bearing member according to image data, and at least two detection units configured to detect an amount of deviation in exposing position due to the exposure unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a drive unit configured to drive an optical part located on an optical path extending from the exposure unit to the image bearing member to reduce the amount of deviation, a measurement unit configured to measure an amount of driving of the drive unit, an estimation unit configured to estimate a residual amount of deviation, and a modulation unit configured to modulate a writing frequency in the exposure unit based on the measured amount of driving to reduce the estimated residual amount of deviation. | 06-04-2009 |
20090169228 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes: a lower body including a plurality of photosensitive members and having an opening; an upper body which is configured to open and cover the opening; a plurality of exposure units which are supported by the upper body and which are opposed to the photosensitive members when the cover covers the opening; a main substrate provided in the housing; an exposure control substrate which is provided to the upper body and controls light emission of the exposure units; a plurality of first cables which electrically connect the exposure units to the exposure control substrate, respectively, each of the first cables including a plurality of signal lines; and a second cable which electrically connects the exposure control substrate to the main substrate and which includes at least one signal line, a number of which is smaller than a total number of the signal lines included in the first cables. | 07-02-2009 |
20090175641 | Image Forming Apparatus and Method of Controlling Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier that carries an image; a charging section that electrically charges the image carrier; an exposure section that forms a latent image on the image carrier electrically charged by the charging section; a development section that develops the latent image formed by the exposure section on the image carrier by means of a liquid developer; a primary transfer section that transfers a image developed by the development section onto a transfer medium; a secondary transfer section that transfers a image transferred onto the transfer medium further onto a recording medium by pressing the transfer medium; and a variable transfer pressure application section that applies transfer pressure of a first level or of a second level at the secondary transfer section. | 07-09-2009 |
20090190943 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING IMAGE - An image forming apparatus includes a light source that emits a laser beam; a separating unit that separates the laser beam emitted from the light source into a first laser beam for measuring a light intensity and a second laser beam for scanning a photosensitive element to form image data; a first photoelectric converting unit that measures a light intensity of the first laser beam, and outputs a first voltage depending on the light intensity of the first laser beam; a second photoelectric converting unit that measures a light intensity of the second laser beam, and outputs a second voltage depending on the light intensity of the second laser beam; and a control unit that executes a first light-intensity correction for correcting the light intensity of the second laser beam per scan by each scanning line and a second light-intensity correction for adjusting a performance in forming the image data based on a current correction value for correcting a light intensity of the laser beam based on the first voltage and the second voltage and a drive current preliminarily-set with respect to the laser beam to cause the light source to emit the laser beam. | 07-30-2009 |
20090190944 | OPTICAL SCANNER, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - The emission intensity of a laser beam source, at a time when a laser beam emitted from the laser beam source and scanned by an optical scanning device becomes incident to a laser beam detector provided in a predetermined position on the scanning path of the laser beam in order to hold a position of an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor constant in the main scanning direction, while at the same time, changing the emission intensity of the laser beam, is set so as to become the consistently same emission intensity regardless of a change in emission intensity at the time of electrostatic latent image formation onto a photoreceptor. This allows the detection timing of a laser beam by a laser beam detector to be kept constant. | 07-30-2009 |
20090190945 | Apparatus for Forming Latent Image Using Line Head and Control Method for Such Apparatus - An apparatus includes: a latent image carrier which is freely rotatable in a predetermined sub scanning direction; a latent image carrier gear which is attached to an end portion of the latent image carrier; a drive motor which applies drive rotation force upon the latent image carrier via the latent image carrier gear and which rotates the latent image carrier; a line head which forms on the latent image carrier a line latent image which extends in a main scanning direction which is approximately orthogonal to the sub scanning direction; an exposure controller which provides an image signal to the line head and controls writing of the line latent image; a phase detector which detects the phase data regarding the latent image carrier gear; and a timing controller which adjusts the write location of the line latent image on the latent image carrier based on the phase data detected by the phase detector. | 07-30-2009 |
20090214238 | Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and image forming program product - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit for forming an image; a status conversion unit for converting the multi-value pixel data into status values; plural reference look-up tables each indicating an association between an arrangement of the status values of a target pixel and adjacent pixels in a pixel window and an output data value of the multi-value pixel data to be output; a determining unit for determining a target reference look-up table based on the arrangement; and a generating unit configured to change an input data value of the multi-value pixel data, into the output data value of the determined target reference look-up table, and for outputting the multi-value pixel data to the image forming unit. | 08-27-2009 |
20090214239 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus includes a phase calculation portion, a pattern recognition portion, and a correction coefficient output portion. The phase calculation portion calculates a shift amount of the scanning lines as phase information and, from the phase information, outputs a first set of coefficients. The pattern recognition portion outputs a pattern concordance rate by performing pattern recognition on the group of pixels of interest and peripheral pixels thereof. The correction coefficient output portion outputs a second set of coefficients for correcting the first set of coefficients in accordance with the pattern concordance rate. An interpolation processing portion performs interpolation calculations by referring to the first set of coefficients, the second set of coefficients, and the pattern concordance rate. | 08-27-2009 |
20090226196 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A main controller controls drive of an LSU for irradiating laser light onto a charged photoreceptor, based on control data read from a non-volatile memory. The main controller causes the LSU to irradiate a beam of light onto the photoreceptor so as to form on the photoreceptor an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image to be formed. A controlling section reads through an image reading section control data from the non-volatile memory at a different timing from a timing at which the main controller controls the LSU. The controlling section controls drive of the LSU based on the read control data. | 09-10-2009 |
20090238591 | Image forming condition adjustment control for image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus includes a charge unit, an exposure unit, an exposure voltage detector, a development unit, and a concentration detector. The exposure voltage detector detects a potential of latent image formed as a test pattern on an image carrier. The concentration detector detects concentration of developed test pattern. The image forming apparatus further includes an exposure power controller, an exposure ratio controller, a charging voltage controller, a development bias voltage controller, and an image forming condition adjustment controller. A suitable image forming condition is computed using test patterns formed by changing combinations of charging voltage, exposure power, and exposure duty. The charging voltage is changed in two levels or more. The exposure power is changed in three levels or more. The exposure duty per unit area is changed in two levels or more. | 09-24-2009 |
20090245830 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is provided. A second photoconductor is disposed at a downstream side of a first photoconductor in a moving direction of a medium. First and second exposure units form first and second electrostatic latent images on the first and second photoconductors line by line at first and second exposure timing intervals in first and second exposure enabling time periods based on successive lines of first and second image data, respectively. A correction unit corrects at least one of the first and second exposure timing intervals. A change unit changes the second exposure enabling time period so as to suppress a difference between the number of the successive lines of the first image data and the number of the successive lines of the second image data. | 10-01-2009 |
20090245831 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including: an image carrier; an exposure section that deflects an optical beam using a rotating polygon mirror to expose a surface of the image carrier; a developing section that supplies a toner in order to visualize an electrostatic latent image formed by the exposure section on the image carrier with a toner; and a control section that controls at least the exposure section and the developing section, wherein the control section controls the exposure section and the developing section so as to form a solid image for correction on a non image area which passes through an exposure position in a period within which a plane phase of the rotating polygon mirror is corrected among non image areas between imaging areas on the image carrier. | 10-01-2009 |
20090252512 | Image Forming Apparatus and Method - In an image forming apparatus including plural exposure units each deflecting a light beam from a light source by means of an oscillation mirror in resonant oscillations and scanning the deflected light beam on a latent image carrier thereby forming a latent image on the latent image carrier, every one of the exposure units assuredly attains an adequate amplitude of the oscillation mirror for ensuring the formation of images of high quality. More specifically a CPU | 10-08-2009 |
20090290891 | CURING OF PHOTO-CURABLE PRINTING PLATES USING A LIGHT TUNNEL OF MIRRORED WALLS AND HAVING A POLYGONAL CROSS-SECTION LIKE A KALEIDOSCOPE - An apparatus, a method, and a plate made by the method, e.g., using the apparatus. The apparatus includes a light tunnel of light reflective walls with polygonal cross-section like a kaleidoscope, and a light source, located at one end to produce light radiation to the inside of the light tunnel towards the other end. Light entering the light tunnel towards an inner reflective surface of a wall is reflected off the inner reflective surface so that it can emerge from the other end to cure a plate having photo-curable material thereon. | 11-26-2009 |
20100008686 | METHOD OF DETECTING POSITION OF TONER PATTERN, OPTICAL SENSOR, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A light-emitting unit includes M (M≧3) number of light-emitting elements. A light-receiving unit includes N (N≧3) number of light-receiving elements that receive a reflected light from at least one of a supporting member and a toner pattern. The toner pattern is formed on a surface of the supporting member. A detection light is emitted onto the supporting member from the light-emitting unit. A reflected light reflected from at least one of the supporting member and the toner pattern is received by the light-receiving unit. A position of the toner pattern on the supporting member is detected based on outputs of the light-receiving elements. | 01-14-2010 |
20100040390 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an exposure unit, a detection unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit includes a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. The exposure unit exposes the photosensitive member. The detection unit detects that a reference position disposed on the photosensitive member has reached a predetermined position. The storage unit stores correction data for correcting unevenness of potential characteristic in the photosensitive member. The control unit controls an exposure intensity of the exposure unit at each position on the photosensitive member based on the correction data. | 02-18-2010 |
20100046970 | Exposure Head, Method of Controlling Exposure Head, and Image Forming Apparatus - An exposure head includes: a first light emitting device group including light emitting devices disposed at different positions in a direction perpendicular or approximately perpendicular to a moving direction of an exposed side; a second light emitting device group disposed in the moving direction of the exposed side with respect to the first light emitting device group; an imaging optical system imaging light from the light emitting devices to expose the exposed side; and a control unit allowing one light emitting device group out of either the first light emitting device group or the second light emitting device group to emit light on the basis of a driving signal. | 02-25-2010 |
20100061748 | Exposure Timing Determining Method and Image-Forming Apparatus - A toner image on a photosensitive drum exposed with an LED light beam radiated from an LED section and developed by an image-forming unit is transferred by an image-forming apparatus to a printing paper when the printing paper, which is fed from a paper feed tray or a manual feed tray and which is transported by a transport mechanism by a feeder section, passes through a process section. A control unit of the image-forming apparatus determines an exposure timing at which the LED section starts the exposure, depending on a supply source of the printing paper sheet to be subjected to the transfer by the process section. Therefore, the error of the photosensitive member arrival time, which is caused by the change of the transport route, is absorbed, and the deviation of the transfer start position, which results from the error, is suppressed. | 03-11-2010 |
20100080594 | Image Forming Apparatus and Image Forming Method - An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier; and an exposure head having light-emitting elements configured to emit light beams and form beam spots on the latent image carrier and image forming optical systems configured to form images of light beams emitted from the light-emitting elements arranged in a first direction and form group of beam spots on the latent image carrier, wherein the different image forming optical systems form the group of beam spots in an overlapped manner in the first direction, and the light-emitting elements include the light-emitting elements which define a first spot center distance Dsp | 04-01-2010 |
20100092193 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus that previously rotates a polygonal mirror drive motor before starting a job and forms a latent image by using an optical scanning unit including the polygonal mirror drive motor is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to perform control such that, in the determination of the presence or absence of each of color toners before a previous rotation is started, if it is determined that any one of the color toners is absent, only the polygonal mirror drive motor corresponding to a black toner is previously rotated. | 04-15-2010 |
20100098446 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus including a latent image carrier, a charger to evenly charge a surface of the latent image carrier, a writing device to irradiate a charged surface of the latent image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image, a writing device control unit to control the writing device, a developing device to develop the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image, a transfer device to transfer the toner image onto a transferred member, and a pre-transfer irradiating device to irradiate the charged surface of the latent image carrier during a period after development and before transfer. The writing device control unit controls the writing device based on a target image signal A and an image signal B output a single rotation of the latent image carrier after output of the target image signal A in a sub-scanning direction. | 04-22-2010 |
20100104303 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a developing device including at least one image unit using developers of opposite polarities and different colors simultaneously, and at least one image unit using a single color developer of a constant polarity, a light source device including a plurality of light sources to form an electrostatic latent image on the plurality of image units, and a controller to control output of the light source in at least three output levels. | 04-29-2010 |
20100104304 | IMAGE FORMING METHOD, OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming method including: inputting a pulse width modulated signal into a laser beam output section and thereby outputting a laser beam, wherein a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal is changed based on image data containing density information; scanning the laser beam onto a surface of a photoreceptor through an optical scanning apparatus and thereby outputting an image; detecting a diameter of the laser beam in a sub-scanning direction formed on the surface of the photoreceptor, the diameter of the laser beam inherent to each optical scanning apparatus and changing along an image height in a main scanning direction; and correcting the pulse width in response to the diameter in the sub-scanning direction so that the image output density is uniform with respect to one and the same input density in the image data. | 04-29-2010 |
20100119246 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - An image forming apparatus, and a method of controlling same, the image forming apparatus including an image carrying body; a light exposing unit which emits a light toward the image carrying body according to a light exposing signal; a light sensor which is disposed to a side of the image carrying body to receive a part of the emitted light; and a control unit which detects a biased amount in a sub scanning direction of the emitted light of the light exposing unit based on a sensing result of the light sensor. | 05-13-2010 |
20100124426 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD AND COMPUTER READABLE MEMORY STORING A CONTROL PROGRAM THEREFOR - An image forming apparatus which performs exposure for “n” lines in one scan by scanning “n” light rays from “n” light sources in a main scanning direction of an image carrier, where “n” is an integer greater than 1, including: a laser driving section; and a control section which, corresponding to density unevenness generated in an adjoining section of a nth exposure in a Nth scan and a first exposure in a N+1th scan, determines a correction value of exposure amount to resolve the density unevenness for the nth exposure amount in the Nth scan and the first exposure amount in the N+1th scan, along with that, determines a correction value of each exposure amount for the “n” lines, based on the correction values of the first and nth exposure amount. | 05-20-2010 |
20100129098 | DEVELOPING METHOD AND DEVELOPING APPARATUS - A developing method includes the steps of setting a resist substrate on a turntable, the resist substrate including a substrate, an inorganic resist layer formed on the substrate, and a latent image formed by exposure to light; discharging developer to a developer application position on an upper surface of the inorganic resist layer while rotating the turntable, the developer application position being away from the center of the resist substrate; irradiating a monitor position on the upper surface of the inorganic resist layer with laser light, the monitor position being different from the developer application position; and continuously discharging the developer, while detecting the amounts of zeroth order light and first order light reflected by the upper surface of the inorganic resist layer and monitoring the light amount ratio of the first order light to the zeroth order light, until the light amount ratio becomes a predetermined value. | 05-27-2010 |
20100135683 | Line Head, Image Forming Apparatus, Image Forming Method - Provided is a line head including: a light emitting device array in which N (N is an integer of 2 or more) light emitting device groups including a plurality of light emitting devices is arranged; an output unit which sequentially outputs driving signals for driving the light emitting devices of the light emitting device groups to the light emitting device groups; and a delay unit which delays input timings when the driving signals output from the output unit are input to the light emitting devices, wherein the delay unit delays the input timings of the 1 to (N−1)th driving signals output from the output unit to the input timings of the Nth driving signals output from the output unit, and allows the light emitting devices of the different light emitting device groups simultaneously to emit light. | 06-03-2010 |
20100135684 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus, having an exposing unit for exposing a photosensitive body to form an latent image, a developing unit for forming a developer image corresponding to the latent image, a carrier body moved through a portion opposite to the photosensitive body onto which the developer image formed on the photosensitive body is transferred, a mark forming unit for controlling the exposing unit to form a mark on a surface of the carrier body, light a sensor for sensing light reflected by the carrier body, an edge detector for sensing an edge of the mark on the carrier body based on output of the light sensor and a deciding unit for deciding a positional relation between a focal point of the exposing unit and the surface of the photosensitive body based on the edge detected by the edge detector. | 06-03-2010 |
20100150591 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - A first beam splitter splits each laser beam into a first beam and a second beam. A deflecting unit deflects a direction of the second beam. A second beam splitter splits the second beam into multiple split beams. A first photoelectric converting unit measures intensity of the first beam and outputs first voltage. A second photoelectric converting unit measures intensity of each split beam and outputs second voltage. A control unit updates a driving-current correction value using the first voltage and the second voltage, corrects a driving current, and controls intensity of the laser beam based on corrected driving current. | 06-17-2010 |
20100166444 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image carrier which carries a latent image; an exposure head which exposes the latent image carrier to light emitted from a light emitting element; a driver which rotationally drives the latent image carrier; a light emission controller which controls light emission time of the light emitting element; a rotational angle detector which detects a rotational angle of the latent image carrier; and a memory which stores first light emission time correction information to correct the light emission time in response to an eccentricity of the latent image carrier. The light emission controller permits the light emitting element to emit light at the light emission time corrected on the basis of a detection result of the rotational angle detector and the first light emission time correction information. | 07-01-2010 |
20100172665 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus comprising: a latent image carrying member that carries a latent image; a drive unit that drives to rotate the latent image carrying member; an exposure head that includes a first imaging optical system, a first light-emitting element that emits light imaged on the latent image carrying member by the first imaging optical system, a second imaging optical system that is disposed at a different position from that of the first imaging optical system in a rotation direction of the latent image carrying member, and a second light-emitting element that emits light imaged on the latent image carrying member by the second imaging optical system; a storage unit that stores light-emitting timing adjustment information used for adjusting a timing at which the second light-emitting element emits light; and a control unit that determines a first light-emitting timing at which the first light-emitting element emits light and a second light-emitting timing on the basis of the light-emitting timing adjustment information, and allows the second light-emitting element to emit light at the second light-emitting timing. | 07-08-2010 |
20100189452 | Apparatus and method of controlling light level of a light source, and recording medium storing program of controlling light level of a light source - An apparatus and a method of controlling a light level of a light beam irradiated by a light source are provided. The light source is caused to irradiate the light beam having a light level determined based on a light level correction value for a specific main scanning position. The light level correction value is calculated based on light level change information indicating the change in the light level correction value for the specific main scanning position changes with respect to an initial light level correction value or a preceding light level correction value. | 07-29-2010 |
20100189453 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A write reference signal generating unit uses horizontal synchronization signals output from BD sensors to generate, for each laser scanning unit of respective image forming units, a main scanning write reference signal for irradiating laser light from a semiconductor laser every other predetermined number of reflective surfaces when photosensitive drums are driven to rotate at a second speed of rotation which is slower than a standard speed of rotation. A phase adjustment unit adjusts the phase of a control signal for driving a polygonal mirror, which is output to a polygon motor of each image forming unit, on the basis of a relative time difference between image write timings of the respective laser scanning units as measured by a time difference measurement unit. | 07-29-2010 |
20100196029 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An electrophotographic image forming apparatus having an LED array with a plurality of light emitting elements aligned in a main-scanning direction and a convergent lens array for imaging light emitted from the light emitting elements on a photosensitive member. In order to correct density unevenness caused by positioning errors of the lens array, the light quantity emitted from each of the light emitting elements is adjusted such that the total difference from a target value will be closer to zero. | 08-05-2010 |
20100221027 | Light Output Device and Image Forming Apparatus Including the Same - A light output device comprises a controller configured to generate a set signal that sets a reference voltage for determining a predetermined value of an output power of the light in a case of power adjustment wherein the output power is changed to a power different from in a case of power accuracy requirement, and a reference voltage generating section configured to generate the reference voltage according to the set signal. The controller in the case of power accuracy requirement puts a set-signal output port in a high-impedance state, while in the case of power adjustment generates the set signal using a predetermined voltage, the set signal alternating between a high level and a low level. The reference voltage generating section in the case of power accuracy requirement generates the reference voltage on a basis of a level shift voltage generated by level shifting the predetermined voltage. | 09-02-2010 |
20100226670 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes a first latent image carrier that forms a first latent image, a first charging unit that charges the first latent image carrier, and a first exposure unit that exposes the first latent image carrier to light, forming the first latent image. A first developing unit develops the first latent image with a first liquid developer. A second latent image carrier forms a second latent image. A second charging unit charges the second latent image carrier, which is exposed by a second exposure unit to light, forming the second latent image. A second developing unit develops the second latent image with a second liquid developer. Developed images of the first and second latent image carriers are transferred by a transfer member. A light amount controlling unit adjusts an exposed light amount of the first or the second exposure unit according to image information. | 09-09-2010 |
20100226671 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus includes: a latent image bearing drum that rotates and on which a latent image is formed; an exposure head having a first light-emitting element that exposes a first region of the latent image bearing drum and a second light-emitting element that exposes a second region of the latent image bearing drum; a storage unit that stores first speed-related information relating to the rotational speed of the first region of the latent image bearing drum and second speed-related information relating to the rotational speed of the second region of the latent image bearing drum; and a light-emission timing adjustment unit that adjusts the timing of the light emission of the first light-emitting element based on the first speed-related information and adjusts the timing of the light emission of the second light-emitting element based on the second speed-related information. | 09-09-2010 |
20100226672 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus has a first light controller to shift starts of image writing operations of light sources by a first time interval. A test data storage stores, beforehand, test image data having dot columns formed by one-dot images arranged in a row in a sub-scanning direction and at predetermined intervals in a main scanning direction. An operation controller controls an image carrier at a speed so that adjacent dot images in the sub-scanning direction overlap. A second light controller forms electrostatic latent test images on the image carrier based on timing signals with the image carrier moved by the operation controller, and draws electrostatic latent test images with different time intervals. A density measurer measures densities of the developed test images. A time interval adjusting section adjusts the time interval based on the time interval used to draw the electrostatic latent test image having the lowest measured density. | 09-09-2010 |
20100239288 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - An image forming apparatus that performs a shading correction includes a light source that emits a light beam; a light-source drive unit that drives the light source; and a light-quantity-adjustment-amount control unit that performs an adjustment of a light quantity in accordance with a shading correction curve by controlling, for the light-source drive unit, a light-quantity adjustment amount and an increase/decrease cycle of the light-quantity adjustment amount. The increase/decrease cycle is a unit of time within a time period during which the light-quantity adjustment amount increases or decreases. | 09-23-2010 |
20100254723 | EXPOSURE HEAD, EXPOSURE HEAD CONTROL METHOD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An exposure head includes: a light-emitting element; an image formation optical system that forms an image of light from the light-emitting element; multiple reference elements disposed relative to the light-emitting element; and a control unit that controls the light emission of the light-emitting element and extinguishes the reference elements during a latent image formation operation. The control unit finds the degree of decay of the light-emitting element based on the light amounts of the light-emitting element and the multiple reference elements at a time when the latent image formation operation is not being carried out, and controls the light amount of the light-emitting element during the latent image formation operation based on the degree of decay. | 10-07-2010 |
20110116819 | EXPOSING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An exposing device which radiates light on a photoconductor drum which rotates, thereby executing exposure, includes a light-emitting element unit including light-emitting element having an emission area which emits light that is generated, the emission area having a rectangular shape with a long side along a direction perpendicular to a rotational direction of the photoconductor drum, and a short side along the rotational direction, a lens unit which focuses the light, which is emitted from the emission area, on a peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum, thereby executing exposure, and forming on the peripheral surface a beam spot, and a driving circuit which causes the light-emitting element to emit light, thereby making a width of the shape of the beam spot in a direction along the rotational direction close to a width of the beam spot in a direction perpendicular to the rotational direction. | 05-19-2011 |
20110123210 | Image Forming Device and Image Forming Method - An image forming device includes: an exposure head having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a first direction, a first imaging optical system adapted to image light emitted from the light emitting elements, and a second imaging optical system disposed in a second direction with respect to the first imaging optical system; a latent image carrier movable in the second direction; a detection section adapted to detect a moving time the latent image carrier takes to move from a first position to a second position in the second direction; and a control section adapted to control the time from emission of a first part of the light emitting elements adapted to emit light to be imaged by the first imaging optical system to emission of a second part of the light emitting elements adapted to emit light to be imaged by the second imaging optical system based on the detection result of the detection section, thereby aligning a latent image formed on the latent image carrier by the first imaging optical system and a latent image formed on the latent image carrier by the second imaging optical system in the first direction. | 05-26-2011 |
20110129244 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - This invention has as its object to improve an image formation throughput. An image forming apparatus of this invention times a time required until an image formation is ready to start after a reference signal is output, and executes the image formation when the image formation is ready to start (for example, initial processes are complete). Furthermore, when the next reference signal is output during the image formation, the image forming apparatus executes an image formation of the next color after a waiting process based on the timed time. | 06-02-2011 |
20110129245 | EXPOSURE HEAD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A exposure head includes: a light-emitting element substrate including a first light-emitting element configured to emit light, a second light-emitting element disposed in a first direction of the first light-emitting element, a third light-emitting element, and a fourth light-emitting element disposed so as to satisfy the following relationship; Dr | 06-02-2011 |
20110142464 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus, an exposure device performs exposure on a non-image area of image pattern, performs an exposure on the image area in an exposure amount lower than the non-image area or does not perform exposure, and an exposure amount control device controls, with respect to pixels having the same density data, an exposure amount given by an exposure device to be smaller in a first portion, which is a thin-line of a width that is equal to or less than a predetermined number of pixels or which is an isolated dot of widths that are equal to or less than the predetermined number of pixels in two directions substantially orthogonal to each other, than in a second portion which is a line of a width exceeding the predetermined number or a surface of widths that exceed the predetermined number in two directions substantially orthogonal to each other. | 06-16-2011 |
20110150509 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a profile storage section that stores distortion characteristic of a scanning line, a correcting section that corrects image data by lines in the sub scanning direction, and a registration sensor that detects a pattern image for detecting color misregistration amounts in a sub scanning direction of images formed on an intermediate transfer member. When the pattern image is formed, the distortion correcting section shifts image data of the pattern image by lines in the sub scanning direction so that, with reference to a detection position of the registration sensor, a positional displacement amount of the pattern image in the sub scanning direction becomes less than or equal to ½ of a scanning-line distance, in accordance with a positional displacement amount of the scanning line in the sub scanning direction at a detection position of the registration sensor along a main scanning direction. | 06-23-2011 |
20110150510 | OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS - In an optical scanning apparatus, a light source includes a plurality of light emitting elements. A light beam output from the source is scanned and deflected by a polygon mirror so as to form an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a light sensitive member. A control unit controls the source so that the source outputs the light beam in a first period before a second period in which the light beam deflected by the mirror forms the image. During the first period for outputting the light beam from the source a period for scanning a non-image region of the member in a state in which the rotation speed of the mirror is being accelerated or decelerated is made longer than a period for scanning the non-image region of the member in a state in which the rotation speed of the mirror is controlled at a constant speed. | 06-23-2011 |
20110150511 | Image Forming Apparatus, Image Forming Method and Data Control Device - The apparatus is adapted to deflect a light beam from a laser light source for each of the color components by means of a deflection mirror surface which oscillates, thereby making the light beam reciprocally scan in a main scanning direction. In this apparatus, however, only a light beam SL which scans in a first direction (+X) of the main scanning direction is irradiated in an effective image region on a photosensitive member, so as to form a latent image thereon. The resultant latent image is developed to form a toner image. Since image formation is performed using only the light beam SL which scans in the first direction (+X), the images may be formed at the consistent density irrespective of the image types. Furthermore, the scanning directions of the light beams SL for all the color components are uniformly defined to be the first direction (+X), so that the toner images of the respective colors may maintain the consistent density. | 06-23-2011 |
20110164891 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - An image forming apparatus that is operable at a plurality of image forming speeds and can be constructed at low costs without adding circuits or the like. A conversion circuit converts image data into lighting patterns for turning on/off laser light on a basis of each of units of auxiliary pixels formed by dividing a pixel as an image forming element. A shift register sequentially stores lighting patterns for pixels pixel from the conversion circuit, and sequentially outputs them to a laser drive circuit. In monochrome printing, the rotational speed of a polygon motor is set to perform a printing operation. In color printing, the difference between an image forming speed for the monochrome printing and an image forming speed for the color printing is calculated, and based on the difference, the amount of insertion of pixel pieces using the shift register is determined for a printing operation. | 07-07-2011 |
20110182603 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD THEREOF, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The invention provides an exposure apparatus having a configuration such that, when a single laser light source having a plurality of light-emitting points is driven by a plurality of laser control apparatuses, mutual monitoring of the control state of the respective laser control apparatuses is possible, thus reducing malfunctions due to the effects of noise, and also provides a method to control this exposure apparatus, and an image forming apparatus. To accomplish this, the exposure apparatus does not execute light amount control of the light source to be driven when the determination unit has determined that another driving unit is causing the light source to be driven to emit light, and executes the light amount control of the light source to be driven when the determination unit has determined that another driving unit is not causing the light source to be driven to emit light. | 07-28-2011 |
20110222883 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus having a first photosensitive member and a second photosensitive member that are arranged side by side along a moving direction of a transfer member, the first photosensitive drum being disposed at an upstream position with respect to the moving direction of the transfer member and the second photosensitive member being disposed at a downstream position; a light source for emitting a beam; and an optical system for directing the beam emitted from the light source to the first and the second photosensitive drums. The optical system comprises a switching optical element that is capable of turning into a first state to direct the beam emitted from the light source to the first photosensitive drum and into a second state to direct the beam to the second photosensitive drum, and a condition, A+B | 09-15-2011 |
20110229172 | APPARATUS CONFIGURED TO FORM PLURAL IMAGES ON AN IMAGE CONVEYOR AND METHOD CONFIGURED TO FORM PLURAL IMAGES ON AN IMAGE CONVEYOR USING THE APPARATUS - An apparatus to form plural images on an image conveyor includes plural photoconductor bodies, a light exposure device, a development device, a transfer device, and a pattern detection device, wherein the light exposure device includes an optical scanning part, a first light detection part having a first light receiving face, a second light detection part having a second light receiving face being non-parallel to the first light receiving face, a third light detection part having a third light receiving face being non-parallel to the first light receiving face, the optical scanning part, the first light detection part, and the second light detection part being provided inside a housing of the light exposure device, the third light detection part being provided outside the housing, and a light exposure timing control device. | 09-22-2011 |
20110236047 | OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS AND TECHNIQUE FOR CORRECTING OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN AN IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THAT EMPLOYS AN ELECTROSTATIC RECORDING METHOD OR AN ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDING METHOD - An optical scanning apparatus controls an output of a light source for forming an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier. The optical scanning apparatus includes a correction amount control unit configured to variably control a light quantity correction amount of the light source according to a scanning position on the image carrier during one scanning operation with a beam generated from the light source, an output signal level changing unit configured to change a level of an output signal from the correction amount control unit, and a light quantity control unit configured to control a light quantity of the light source according to the scanning position based on a signal from the output signal level changing unit. | 09-29-2011 |
20110243590 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes: a light source that emits a light beam; a photosensitive member; a brushless motor including a stator and a rotor; a rotary polygon mirror rotated by the brushless motor; an energization switching unit that turns on/off energizations of the coils; a voltage detecting unit that outputs a detection signal based on induced voltages generated in coils of the stator by rotation of the rotor; and a motor controlling unit that controls the turning on/off of the energizations by the energization switching unit based on the detection signal. In a non-image forming period after one image forming operation, the motor controlling unit performs a low-speed process where the motor controlling unit maintains a rotation speed of the brushless motor at a speed, which is lower than a speed in the image forming operation, and at which the induced voltages are detectable by the voltage detecting unit. | 10-06-2011 |
20110255891 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A first mark and a second mark are provided on a photosensitive drum and a rotation reference position sensor detects these marks. A counter is reset according to a detection signal corresponding to the first mark, and is incremented its count value according to a detection signal corresponding to the second mark. A CPU controls an exposure intensity based on light amount correction data read from a memory according to the counted value. | 10-20-2011 |
20120008968 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A frequency adjusting unit adjusts a frequency of the clock signal to be supplied to a drive unit when an image is to be formed on the second face in response to a contraction ratio of the printing material on which an image has been formed on the first face. The phase difference determining unit determines a phase difference between the clock signal corresponding to the first face and the clock signal corresponding to the second face in response to a frequency difference and a sign thereof between the clock signal corresponding to the first face and the clock signal corresponding to the second face. The change control unit changes from the clock signal corresponding to the first face to the clock signal corresponding to the second face. | 01-12-2012 |
20120057889 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - An image processing apparatus for an image forming apparatus including a line head array that forms an image by illuminating one or more illumination elements in correspondence with image data. The image processing apparatus includes a detection part configured to detect a linear image extending in a sub-scanning direction in the image data, and an adjustment part configured to adjust a density of the linear image so that the energy used in illuminating the one or more illumination elements for forming the linear image is reduced compared to the energy used in forming the linear image without adjusting the density of the linear image. | 03-08-2012 |
20120114347 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member that rotates and is subjected to exposure so that a latent image is formed thereon, a driver that rotates the photosensitive member, an exposure section that exposes the photosensitive member by irradiating the photosensitive member with light, a light intensity adjustment section that receives a part of the light from the exposure section and adjusts intensity of the light irradiated by the exposure section, and an adjustment controller that causes the driver to start rotating the photosensitive member and causes the light intensity adjustment section to start adjusting the intensity of the light after a rotation speed of the photosensitive member exceeds a predetermined threshold value. | 05-10-2012 |
20120128383 | IMAGING FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME - An image forming apparatus has a function for adjusting the position at which a toner image is formed on a printing material, based upon amount of light reflected from a toner image that has been formed on an image carrier. The light-emitting unit emits light that irradiates the image carrier, and the detecting unit detects an amount of substrate-light reflected from the substrate of the image carrier. The determining unit determines whether the difference between the amount of substrate-light detected at a first point in time and the amount of substrate-light detected at a second point in time later than the first point in time is greater than a predetermined threshold value. The light-power control unit increases the amount of light in the light-emitting unit if the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value. | 05-24-2012 |
20120141153 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus is provided, which includes a main body housing that includes an opening formed at an upper side thereof and supports a plurality of photoconductive bodies, a cover that is disposed above the main body and configured to open and close the opening, an exposure unit that is provided to the cover and configured to expose the photoconductive bodies, an image data processor configured to store and process input image data, an exposure unit controller configured to control the exposure unit based on the image data processed by the image data processor, a first circuit board including the image data processor formed thereon, and a second circuit board including the exposure unit controller formed thereon. The first circuit board and the second circuit board are attached to the cover. | 06-07-2012 |
20120148277 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THAT FORMS IMAGE BY SCANNING PHOTOSENSITIVE MEMBER WITH MULTIPLE BEAMS - An image forming apparatus that generates a synchronization signal without breaking laser diodes (LDs). The LDs output beams, which in turn are deflected to scan a photosensitive member. The synchronization signal is generated upon detecting the deflected beams. The LDs output the beams so as to generate the synchronization signal, based on which the output timing of the beams from the LDs is controlled. It is possible to select a first mode in which at least two of the LDs output the beams so as to generate the synchronization signal, and a second mode in which one of the LDs output the beams so as to generate the synchronization signal. The value of drive current supplied to at least two of the LDs when the first mode is selected is smaller than the value of drive current supplied to one of the LDs when the second mode is selected. | 06-14-2012 |
20120189334 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An electrophotographic image forming apparatus that are capable of reducing the variation of the rise time of the laser light source due to the temperature change of the laser light source with a simple configuration. A laser light source emits a laser beam according to a driving signal in order to expose an image bearing member. A voltage detection unit detects terminal voltage of the laser light source. A drive unit has a voltage source that can control output voltage and supplies current corresponding to the output voltage of the voltage source to the laser light source when making the laser light source emit the laser beam according to the driving signal. A control unit controls the voltage source so that the output voltage of the voltage source generates current overshot to a target current based on the detection result of the voltage detection unit. | 07-26-2012 |
20120195608 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus, a quantized amount of correction A is applied to emission timing with which each light-emitting point is to be caused to give off light emission to thereby align points of exposure to light emitted from the light-emitting points, substantially with a straight line extending in the main scanning direction on a photoconductor. The amount of correction A is adjusted by adding or subtracting one to or from one of the tentatively determined amounts of correction A | 08-02-2012 |
20120195609 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus having: a light source that emits a beam; a photoreceptor that is scanned with the beam to obtain an electrostatic latent image thereon; and a control unit that determines a light intensity of the beam to be emitted for formation of a pixel, based on a data value for the pixel in image data and data values for its surrounding pixels. | 08-02-2012 |
20120195610 | LIGHT SCANNING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND COMPUTER READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - A light scanning apparatus includes: a light emission unit emitting a first light beam and a second light beam; a motor; a rotary polygon mirror rotated by the motor, forming two scanning lines on a scan object at the same time; an optical sensor detecting the first light beam and the second light beam deflected by the rotary polygon mirror; a deviation measurement unit measuring a deviation amount of starting positions of the two scanning lines on the scan object based on a first detection timing at which the optical sensor detects the first light beam and a second detection timing at which the optical sensor detects the second light beam; and a motor control unit controlling rotation of the motor based on the second detection timing in a measurement non-execution period, and controls rotation of the motor without using the first detection timing in a measurement execution period. | 08-02-2012 |
20120201554 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD OF ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY - An image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing a sequential variation of graininess and keeping imaging quality. An exposure unit exposes the photoconductor to a light beam to form an electrostatic latent image. A development unit develops the electrostatic latent image with a toner. A change unit changes a height of toner image by changing an exposure spot area of the light beam on the photoconductor. A formation unit forms test patterns corresponding to different exposure spot areas on a recording sheet. A read unit reads the test patterns. A control unit detects graininess of each test pattern based on information about the test patterns read by the read unit, determines an exposure spot area where the graininess becomes good relatively, and controls the height of toner image on the photoconductor by setting the exposure spot area determined so as to be an exposure spot area for image formation. | 08-09-2012 |
20120207498 | OPTICAL WRITING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING OPTICAL WRITING DEVICE - An optical writing device includes: a photosensitive element whose surface relatively moves with respect to a light source by rotation; a pixel information acquiring unit that acquires pixel information of an image to be formed on the photosensitive element as an electrostatic latent image; a line pixel information storing unit that stores the pixel information for every main scanning line; a light emission control unit that causes a light source to emit light based on the pixel information; a rotation position recognizing unit that recognizes a rotation position of the photosensitive element; and a light quantity control unit that controls a light quantity of the light source based on the pixel information of every one main scanning line in accordance with the rotation position, with reference to correction value information in which the rotation position and information related to a correction of the light quantity are associated. | 08-16-2012 |
20120230713 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The image forming apparatus includes a BG exposure clock output section | 09-13-2012 |
20120275806 | IMAGING FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME - An image forming apparatus has a function for adjusting the position at which a toner image is formed on a printing material, based upon amount of light reflected from a toner image that has been formed on an image carrier. The light-emitting unit emits light that irradiates the image carrier, and the detecting unit detects an amount of substrate-light reflected from the substrate of the image carrier. The determining unit determines whether the difference between the amount of substrate-light detected at a first point in time and the amount of substrate-light detected at a second point in time later than the first point in time is greater than a predetermined threshold value. The light-power control unit increases the amount of light in the light-emitting unit if the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value. | 11-01-2012 |
20120281996 | LASER SCAN UNIT FOR AN IMAGING DEVICE - A system and method for reducing scan line jitter in laser scan systems employing a rotating mirror, including a controller for determining a unique time delay for each mirror facet and controlling laser sources so that video provided by each laser source is delayed in a scan line by the unique time delay corresponding to the mirror facet used in creating the scan line. The controller computes a facet map signature vector corresponding to each mirror facet matches the signature to a previously stored signature and assigns distance offset data to the mirror facets based upon the matching. | 11-08-2012 |
20120288291 | OPTICAL WRITING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND CORRECTION VALUE INFORMATION GENERATING METHOD - An optical writing device includes a light emission control unit configured to cause a light source to emit light based on a rotational position of a photosensitive element and pixel information making up a correction pattern to form an electrostatic latent image of the correction pattern on the photosensitive element, the correction pattern being formed across an entire circumference of the photosensitive element in a rotating direction; a reading signal acquiring unit configured to acquire reading signals resulting from reading the correction pattern, and generate, based on the reading signals, density variation information in which the rotational position and a density of the correction pattern are associated; and a correction value information generation control unit configured to generate information about correction to an amount of light emitted by the light source based on the density of the correction pattern to generate correction value information. | 11-15-2012 |
20120288292 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming portion including a first photosensitive member (drum), a first charging device, a first exposure device, a first developing device, and a first transfer device; a second image forming portion including a second drum, and a second charging device, a second exposure device, a second developing device, and a second transfer device; a power source for applying a common voltage to the first transfer device and the second transfer device; and a setting device for variably setting, for a period in which the transfer operation is performed, potentials of the exposed portions of the first and second drums on the basis of currents passing through the first and second transfer devices, respectively, when the common voltage is applied to the first and second transfer devices in a period other than the period in which the transfer operation is performed. | 11-15-2012 |
20120301164 | LIGHT-EMITTING ELEMENT ARRAY, DRIVING DEVICE, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A light-emitting element array has a plurality of three-terminal light-emitting elements such as light-emitting thyristors with anode, cathode, and gate terminals. The anode terminal of each light-emitting element is connected to a driving circuit. The cathode terminal is grounded. The gate terminals of at least some of the three-terminal light-emitting elements are driven from a common buffer, and within this group of three-terminal light-emitting elements, the anode terminals are driven individually. This enables the array of three-terminal light-emitting elements to be driven in essentially the same way as an array of two-terminal light-emitting elements, but without the need for large power transistors between the cathode terminals and ground. | 11-29-2012 |
20120315057 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - In an image forming apparatus, an exposure device performs exposure on a non-image area of image pattern, performs an exposure on the image area in an exposure amount lower than the non-image area or does not perform exposure, and an exposure amount control device controls, with respect to pixels having the same density data, an exposure amount given by an exposure device to be smaller in a first portion, which is a thin-line of a width that is equal to or less than a predetermined number of pixels or which is an isolated dot of widths that are equal to or less than the predetermined number of pixels in two directions substantially orthogonal to each other, than in a second portion which is a line of a width exceeding the predetermined number or a surface of widths that exceed the predetermined number in two directions substantially orthogonal to each other. | 12-13-2012 |
20130016987 | ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUSAANM IMAI; YuichiroAACI Kashiwa-shiAACO JPAAGP IMAI; Yuichiro Kashiwa-shi JP - An image forming apparatus capable of reducing fluctuations in the rotational speed of an image carrier caused by harmonic noise. A surface of the image carrier is charged with electricity. An exposure unit forms an electrostatic latent image by exposing on the charged surface of the image carrier to light. A rotational drive unit rotates the image carrier. A first detecting unit detects a rotational speed of the image carrier. A second detecting unit detects a home position of the image carrier. An exposure control unit controls timing with which the exposure unit exposes the image carrier to light based on the rotational speed of the image carrier detected by the first detecting unit and the home position detected by the second detecting unit. | 01-17-2013 |
20130121713 | Laser Scan Unit for an Imaging Device - A system and method for reducing scan line jitter caused by facet cut variation in scan systems employing a plurality of laser sources and a sensor for generating the timing for the laser sources. The system includes a controller for determining a unique time delay for each facet of the rotating mirror, and controlling the laser sources so that video provided by each laser source is delayed in a scan line by the unique time delay corresponding to the facet of the rotating mirror used in creating the scan line. | 05-16-2013 |
20130259503 | APPARATUS CONFIGURED TO FORM PLURAL IMAGES ON AN IMAGE CONVEYOR AND METHOD CONFIGURED TO FORM PLURAL IMAGES ON AN IMAGE CONVEYOR USING THE APPARATUS - An apparatus to form plural images on an image conveyor includes plural photoconductor bodies, a light exposure device, a development device, a transfer device, and a pattern detection device, wherein the light exposure device includes an optical scanning part, a first light detection part having a first light receiving face, a second light detection part having a second light receiving face being non-parallel to the first light receiving face, a third light detection part having a third light receiving face being non-parallel to the first light receiving face, the optical scanning part, the first light detection part, and the second light detection part being provided inside a housing of the light exposure device, the third light detection part being provided outside the housing, and a light exposure timing control device. | 10-03-2013 |
20130287418 | LIGHT BEAM SCANNING DEVICE THAT PERFORMS HIGH-ACCURACY LIGHT AMOUNT CONTROL, METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE DEVICE, STORAGE MEDIUM, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A light beam scanning device which is capable of performing high-accuracy light amount control without complicated control even when the device includes a laser diode having non-linear I-L characteristics. Gain circuits set the amount of light to be emitted from the laser diode. A PD circuit board detects the amount of the emitted light. A laser controller controls the amount of the emitted light by adjusting drive current applied to the laser diode based on a detection output from the PD circuit board. A CPU corrects data for correcting the drive current. The CPU decides a light amount correction range for correcting the light amount based on the correction data, calculates the slope of the I-L characteristics in the light amount correction range based on light amounts at two points within the light amount correction range and drive currents associated with the respective light amounts, and corrects the correction data using the calculated slope. | 10-31-2013 |
20130315613 | DRIVE CIRCUIT, LIGHT PRINT HEAD, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A drive circuit is provided for supplying a drive current to drive a plurality of driven elements. The drive circuit includes a switch circuit having an input terminal for receiving a drive signal alternately changing between an on state and an off state, and an output terminal connected to the driven elements; and a constant current circuit connected to the switch circuit for adjusting the drive current at a constant level. The constant current circuit is formed of a depletion type MOS transistor. | 11-28-2013 |
20140072318 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an exposure unit configured to form a latent image by irradiating a charged photosensitive member with light, and a control unit configured to cause the exposure unit to expose an image portion to which toner of the photosensitive member is to be adhered by a first exposure amount, and expose a non-image portion to which the toner of the photosensitive member is not to be adhered by a second exposure amount which is smaller than the first exposure amount. The control unit corrects the preset second exposure amount based on information about a difference between the charging voltage output from the charging unit and a predetermined charging voltage and/or information about a difference between the developing voltage output from the developing unit and a predetermined developing voltage. | 03-13-2014 |
20140093263 | System and Method for Controlling Multiple Light Sources of a Laser Scanning System in an Imaging Apparatus - An imaging device having a printhead unit which includes a plurality of independently controllable light sources, each light source generating a light beam when activated; a photoconductive surface operable at a plurality of image transfer rates; a scanning device having one or more deflecting surfaces, the scanning device arranged to direct the light beams so as to sweep in at least one scan direction across a surface such that, for each sweep, scan lines written by the light beams are spaced from one another on the photoconductive surface in a process direction that is nominally orthogonal to the scan direction; and a controller configured to selectively activate any number of the light sources for use during a print operation to write image data along scan lines on the photoconductive surface, wherein a rotational velocity of the scanning device is selected and the number of the light sources activated based upon at least one selected operating parameter for the imaging device. | 04-03-2014 |
20140126923 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical scanning device includes a MEMS mirror, a driving unit for oscillating the MEMS mirror using a drive voltage which varies in a basic cycle, a light detection unit for receiving laser light deflected by the MEMS mirror and outputting a detection signal, a correction value calculation unit for calculating a correction voltage value used in correcting the drive voltage, a DC voltage generation unit for generating a DC voltage having a voltage value smaller than the correction voltage value, a DC voltage amplification unit for amplifying the DC voltage generated by the DC voltage generation unit to have a voltage value equal to the correction voltage value, and a waveform shaping unit for shaping the waveform of the amplified DC voltage so that the DC voltage varies in the basic cycle and outputting the shaped DC voltage as the drive voltage to the driving unit. | 05-08-2014 |
20140133876 | EXPOSURE ADJUSTING APPARATUS, IMAGE NORMALIZING APPARATUS AND IMAGE NORMALIZING METHOD - An exposure adjusting apparatus, which comprises: an image sensor, for catching an image according to an exposure parameter; a computing apparatus, for computing an exposure amount of the image and for determining whether the exposure amount is in a predetermined exposure range or not; and an exposure updating apparatus. If the exposure amount is in the predetermined exposure range, the exposure updating apparatus does not adjust the exposure amount. If the exposure amount is not in the predetermined exposure range, the exposure updating apparatus generates at least one adjusting amount according to at least one of the predetermined exposure range, the exposure amount and the exposure parameter, and utilizes the adjusting amount to increase or decrease the exposure parameter to generate a new exposure parameter. | 05-15-2014 |
20140169816 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - The apparatus includes a CPU which executes, based on a detection result of a BD sensor, start-up control for controlling driving of a scanner motor, so that a rotation number of the scanner motor reaches a predetermined rotation number, and executes determination control for determining a voltage to be applied to a primary transfer unit based on a detection result of a transfer current detection circuit by a transfer voltage output circuit upon execution of image formation, and when an image forming station K which executes image formation is different from an image forming station Y including the BD sensor, the CPU parallelly executes the start-up control and determination control. | 06-19-2014 |
20140241743 | Image Forming Apparatus - An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photosensitive members arranged to align in parallel with one another, an exposure device arranged in an upper position with respect to the plurality of photosensitive members and configured to expose the photosensitive members to light, an exposure controller arranged in an upper position with respect to the exposure device and configured to control the exposure device according to inputted image data, a power board, arranged in a lower position with respect to the plurality of photosensitive members and configured to convert alternate current power to direct current power, and a voltage converter arranged in un upper position with respect to the exposure device and configured to convert the direct current power supplied from the power board into an at least single-leveled first voltage and supply the first voltage to the exposure controller. | 08-28-2014 |
20140334835 | COLOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - Provided is a color image forming apparatus which has photosensitive members and a light irradiation unit irradiating at least one of the photosensitive members, the color image forming apparatus including: a laser driving unit causing the light irradiation unit to emit light of a light amount at a first emission level for printing when exposing an image portion and to emit light of a light amount at a second emission level for weak emission when exposing a non-image portion; an acquiring unit acquiring information of remaining lifetime of each of the photosensitive members; a first light intensity adjusting unit adjusting a first drive current to emit light at the first emission level; and a second light intensity adjusting unit adjusting a second drive current to emit light at the second emission level, the second light intensity adjusting unit changing the second drive current in accordance with the information. | 11-13-2014 |
20140348525 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FORMING AN IMAGE - An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming section including a light exposure section configured to expose an image bearing member to light to form an electrostatic latent image, the image forming section being configured to form a toner image on the image bearing member, and to form an image on a recording sheet by transferring the toner image onto the recording sheet; an estimation section configured to estimate a density lowering position on the basis of image data of an image formed by the image forming section, the density lowering position being a position where decrease in image density relative to a predetermined image density is caused in the image; and a control section configured to increase a light exposure amount at the density lowering position estimated by the estimation section on the image bearing member to an amount greater than a predetermined light exposure amount. | 11-27-2014 |
20140363183 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING EXPOSURE A PLURALITY OF TIMES - An image forming apparatus includes; an exposure unit configured to perform, based on the image data, first exposure for a photosensitive member and second exposure for the photosensitive member exposed by the first exposure; a determination unit configured to determine a type of the image to be formed based on image data; and a control unit configured to control the exposure unit such that a difference in an exposure amount between the first exposure and the second exposure performed based on the image data when the type of the image is a character is larger than the difference in the exposure amount between the first exposure and the second exposure performed based on the image data when the type of the image is a picture. | 12-11-2014 |
20150010316 | Method and Apparatus for Controlling Multiple Beam Spacing - An anamorphic optical element and an adjustment mechanism for selectively rotating the optical element either around an axis substantially in a vertical direction, an axis substantially in an optical axis direction, an axis substantially in a plane formed by the vertical direction and the optical axis direction, or combination of axes thereof is used to vary a vertical separation between two or more spots. | 01-08-2015 |
20150016832 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS WHICH USES ELECTROSTATIC LATENT IMAGE FOR COLOR MISREGISTRATION CORRECTION - An image forming apparatus includes a control unit configured to form electrostatic latent images for correction on a photosensitive member a voltage application unit configured to apply a voltage to a process unit; a current detection unit configured to detect a current to the voltage application unit via the process unit when the voltage is applied to the process unit; and a conversion unit configured to convert an output value detected by the current detection unit such that a variation range of the output value detected by the current detection unit at a formation period of the electrostatic latent image for correction becomes larger than a variation range of the output value detected by the current detection unit at a one-rotation period of the photosensitive member on which the electrostatic latent image is not formed. | 01-15-2015 |
20150055967 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING A TIME TO START FORMING AN IMAGE - The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not a polygon mirror has converged to the number of rotations that allows image formation to be performed, and the determination unit is capable of detecting a first timing and a second timing and determines that the polygon mirror has converged to a number of rotations that allows the image formation to be performed based on an earlier one of the first timing and the second timing. | 02-26-2015 |
20150117887 | COLOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a process unit arranged in the vicinity of the circumference of each photosensitive member and the process unit is configured to act on the photosensitive member in forming a toner image thereon. The image forming apparatus detects a time period since a laser beam emission unit emits a laser beam to the photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image for detection until the formed electrostatic latent image for detection or a toner image based on the electrostatic latent image for detection reaches the process unit, and performs color misregistration correction control based on the result of detection. In this case, a control unit at least decreases the light amount of a pre-exposure LED when the electrostatic latent image for detection passes through a position facing the pre-exposure LED. | 04-30-2015 |
20150125170 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes an exposure control unit that performs control, based on a shift-amount of an exposure position from an ideal position, the shift-amount being obtained from a detection-result of a misregistration correcting pattern image, to shift at least one of an exposure timing corresponding to first image data which is input to one of two electric cables in contact with a target electric cable and an exposure timing corresponding to second image data which is input to another one of the two electric cables, with respect to an exposure timing corresponding to target image data being input to the target electric cable both sides of which are in contact with the two other electric cables, among a plurality of the electric cables which corresponds respectively to a plurality of the exposure units provided for each of a plurality of colors. | 05-07-2015 |
20150125171 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, IMAGE FORMING METHOD, AND METHODOF PRODUCING PRINTED MATERIAL - An image forming apparatus includes: a pseudo-halftone processing unit that processes input image data to output image data of first resolution; a resolution converting unit that converts the image data of the first resolution into image data of second resolution that is higher than the first resolution; a modulation-signal generating unit that generates a modulation signal obtained by modulating the image data of the second resolution according to a clock signal; and a light-source driving unit that drives a light source according to the modulation signal. The pseudo-halftone processing unit converts a region of pixels having the same pixel value into a parallel line pattern that is formed with a plurality of parallel lines oblique relative to a direction of arrangement of pixels. The resolution converting unit generates the image data o in which each edge of the lines forming the parallel line pattern is smoothed. | 05-07-2015 |
20150338762 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD - In the image forming apparatus, the space detecting unit detects the space between the image carrying surface and the developer carrying surface. The correcting unit corrects the intensity of the development field for developing the electrostatic latent image on the image carrying surface based on the acquired correspondence relation and the space detected by the space detecting unit, for example. In this case, the correspondence relation is a relation between the image density of the visible image transferred from the image carrying surface to the transferred medium and the development filed for suppressing the density unevenness of the visible image. | 11-26-2015 |
20160063362 | IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT CHIP, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An integrated circuit chip configured to be connected to an image forming apparatus having a light source, a photosensitive member, and a light receiver includes a synchronizing signal output circuit, a data output circuit, an OR circuit, a chip-side communicator, first and second wiring lines. The synchronizing signal output circuit is configured to output a synchronizing signal for lighting the light source. The data output circuit is configured to output an image data signal for lighting the light source. The OR circuit is configured to output a lighting signal that is a logical sum of the synchronizing signal and the image data signal. The chip-side communicator is configured to transmit the lighting signal to the image forming apparatus. The first wiring line connects the synchronizing signal output circuit with the OR circuit. The second wiring line connects the data output circuit with the OR circuit. | 03-03-2016 |
20160063363 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An image forming apparatus includes a light source, a reflector, a photosensitive member, a light receiver, and an integrated circuit chip. The integrated circuit chip outputs, to the light source, a lighting signal for controlling lighting of the light source. The integrated circuit chip includes a synchronizing signal output circuit, a receiver, a first OR circuit, and a first wiring line. The synchronizing signal output circuit is configured to output a synchronizing signal for lighting the light source. The receiver is configured to receive a first image data signal outputted from an external circuit, the first image data signal being for lighting the light source. The first OR circuit is configured to output a first lighting signal that is a logical sum of the synchronizing signal and the first image data signal. The first wiring line connects the synchronizing signal output circuit with the first OR circuit. | 03-03-2016 |
20160091817 | EXPOSING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An exposing unit has a plurality of light emitters arranged in a main scanning direction. The exposing unit is configured to form a scanning line by exposing an image surface in the main scanning direction, and to form a plurality of pixels arrayed in the main scanning direction by sequentially forming a plurality of scanning lines shifted in a sub-scanning direction. A clock generator is configured to generate frequency-spread clocks having frequency that is spread with a particular modulation cycle. A driver is configured to drive the exposing unit to emit light during a lighting period based on the frequency-spread clocks. The driver sets an interval of exposure start time of the plurality of scanning lines. At least one interval is different from a reference period obtained by dividing a period for forming the pixels arrayed in the main scanning direction by a number of the plurality of scanning lines. | 03-31-2016 |
20160109838 | METHOD FOR PRINTING COLORED AND WHITE TONER USING A LOOK-UP TABLE - A method for printing on a receiver with a plurality of colored dry inks and a dry white ink, the method includes providing a look-up table having a set of one dimensional look-up tables for each of the colored inks and black inks; inputting a value to each of the one dimensional look-up tables, which value corresponds to a laydown at each pixel location of the receiver; wherein the look-up table determines a laydown of white ink at each pixel location depending on the laydown of the colored inks and black ink; and determining an amount of white ink to laydown by computing a value from the determined white laydowns of each look-up table. | 04-21-2016 |
20160124219 | LIGHT SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - The light scanning apparatus includes: a deflection element including first and second deflection surfaces; a rotor including a top surface facing the deflection element; a first imaging optical system including a first imaging lens; a second imaging optical system including a second imaging lens arranged to face first imaging lens; first and second shielding members. The first shielding member is arranged at a position where an edge portion thereof on a side closer to top surface in a sub-scanning direction blocks light reflected by first imaging lens. The second shielding member is arranged at a position where an edge portion thereof on a side closer to top surface in sub-scanning direction blocks light that has passed by first shielding member and been reflected by top surface. | 05-05-2016 |
20160124336 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS THAT SPECIFY PIXELS TO BE SUBJECTED TO CORRECTION, AND CORRECT EXPOSURE AMOUNT - An image forming apparatus includes: specifying unit configured to specify, based on image data, a pixel to be subjected to correction from among pixels of an image to be formed from the image data; and a correction unit configured to correct an exposure amount by a exposure unit for the pixel to be subjected to correction from an exposure amount indicated by the image data. The correction unit is further configured to correct the exposure amount applied by the exposure unit to the pixel to be subjected to correction by not exposing at least a portion of a region of the pixel to be subjected to correction according to a distance between the pixel to be subjected to correction and an edge of the image to be formed from the image data. | 05-05-2016 |
20160124337 | OPTICAL WRITING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING DEVICE - An optical writing device including light-emitting elements forming element arrays. The element arrays are each composed of light-emitting elements arranged in line in a main scanning direction, and reside at respective positions along a sub-scanning direction. A correction unit receives signal values in one-to-one correspondence with the light-emitting elements and performs correction to acquire corrected signal values each indicating a light amount of a corresponding light-emitting element. The correction is for eliminating a light amount difference in the main scanning direction occurring for each element array. A driving unit supplies driving currents to the light-emitting elements based on the corrected signal values, and a control unit performs a control of causing at least two element arrays to emit light for different durations within one main scanning period. The control is for eliminating a light amount difference in the sub scanning direction occurring between the at least two element arrays. | 05-05-2016 |
20160124338 | NEUTRALIZATION DEVICE, NEUTRALIZATION METHOD AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - There are provided a neutralization device, a neutralization method and an image forming apparatus including such a neutralization device. In the neutralization device that includes a plurality of light sources and that applies neutralization light to the charged circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum from the light sources to neutralize the photosensitive drum, the amount of neutralization light on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum can be made constant in the drum shaft direction. The neutralization device includes a light amount control wall portion that is extended in the drum shaft direction, and corresponding portions between the light sources adjacent to each other in the light amount control wall portion are formed in such a shape or formed of such a material that the amount of the neutralization light on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum is made constant in the drum shaft direction. | 05-05-2016 |
20160127595 | LASER SCANNING UNIT AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - A laser scanning unit includes a scanning lens, a control portion, and a storage portion. The control portion controls a light amount of a light beam emitted from a light source. The storage portion stores therein aberration characteristics representing a relationship between image heights of the scanning lens and a wavefront aberration amount, which have been obtained in advance. The control portion, when the scanning is performed, controls the light amount of the light beam in accordance with the aberration characteristics, such that the light amount is set to a predetermined first light amount, at a point of a first image height where the wavefront aberration amount has a first value, and the light amount is set to a second light amount larger than the first light amount, at a point of a second image height where the wavefront aberration amount has a second value larger than the first value. | 05-05-2016 |
20160147170 | Image forming apparatus - An image forming apparatus according to one aspect controls a light source such that first and second laser beams emitted from first and second light emitting elements respectively are incident on a BD sensor successively, and measures the time interval between two BD signals, output from the BD sensor, that correspond to the first and second laser beams. When performing the measurement, the image forming apparatus controls the light powers of the first and second light beams so as to be light powers determined in advance using APC. According to this, measurement errors when measuring the interval between the light beams emitted from the two light emitting elements are suppressed, and correction accuracy for the image writing start positions for the multiple light emitting elements is improved. | 05-26-2016 |
20160179029 | IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 06-23-2016 |
20160187806 | IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS - An image-forming apparatus includes a light-irradiation unit configured to move a spot of laser light on a surface of a photosensitive member at a non-constant scanning velocity in a main scanning direction to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, an image data correcting unit configured to correct a length in the main scanning direction of image data by inserting one or more image data pieces into the image data, the number of the image data pieces increasing as the scanning velocity increases, and/or extracting one or more image data pieces from the image data, the number of the image data pieces increasing as the scanning velocity decreases, and a brightness correcting unit configured to correct a brightness of the laser light so that an emission brightness increases as the scanning velocity increases and/or the emission brightness decreases as the scanning velocity decreases. | 06-30-2016 |
20170235247 | IMAGE-FORMING APPARATUS | 08-17-2017 |
20190146370 | SCANNING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS | 05-16-2019 |